Inlaid metalwork

Definition

Decoration of brass, bronze or steel vessels by setting silver, copper or gold into cut recesses, producing figurative scenes, inscriptions and ornament in contrasting colour.

History

Inlaid brass and bronze are strongly associated with Khorasan and western Iran in the 12th–14th centuries; many surviving objects have lost part of their inlay.

Dates and attributions here summarise common scholarly positions and are under editorial review; they are not definitive.

Technique

The design is engraved and undercut into the base metal; thin sheet or wire of a contrasting metal is hammered into the recesses so that the undercut locks it in place, then chased and polished.

Collecting and identification

Check for lost inlay, later re-inlay, inscriptions and surface wear; attributions of provenance for medieval pieces are often debated.

This guidance is educational only and is not an authentication or valuation service.

Reference samples

The reference samples on this page are documented objects in public collections, shown with their holding institution's attribution and licence. They illustrate the craft and are not for sale.

گالری

تصاویر نمونه‌هایی معرف هستند، نه سندی برای رکوردهای نمونهٔ بازارچه. منبع و وضعیت مجوز آن‌ها در بخش اعتبارهای عکاسی آمده است.

بازارچه

در حال حاضر هیچ شیئی از این صنعت فهرست نشده است.

دانش مرتبط

منابع و مآخذ

• Book: Wulff, H. E. The Traditional Crafts of Persia. MIT Press, 1966.
• Museum catalogue: Cleveland Museum of Art, Open Access collection records for Iranian objects (accessed 2026-09-24).

در جایی که خاستگاه، تاریخ یا نمادشناسی محل مناقشه است، این مدخل روایت‌های رقیب را بیان می‌کند نه اینکه میان آن‌ها یکی را برگزیند. تحلیل سردبیری به‌عنوان واقعیتِ مستند ارائه نمی‌شود.